Electrode catalyst with elongated needle-shaped carrier for alkaline fuel cell, alkaline fuel cell, and formation method for alkaline fuel cell electrode catalyst with elongated needle-shaped carrier

Abstract

In an alkaline fuel cell, an electrode catalyst includes a magnetic material, and catalyst particles supported on the magnetic material. Besides, the alkaline fuel cell includes an electrode that has the function of allowing negative ions to permeate through the electrolyte, and an anode electrode and a cathode electrode respectively disposed on the both sides of the electrode, and at least the cathode electrode of the both electrodes is the electrode catalyst.

1 . A formation method for an alkaline fuel cell comprising an electrode catalyst, which includes a magnetic material provided as a carrier that has magnetism and catalyst particles supported on the magnetic material, the method comprising:
 attaching an ion of a catalyst metal component to a metal oxide by immersing the metal oxide in a solution containing the ion of the catalyst metal component;   separating the metal oxide from the solution;   heating the metal oxide; and   magnetizing the metal oxide after supporting the catalyst metal component on the metal oxide.   
     
     
         2 . A formation method for the alkaline fuel cell comprising an electrode catalyst according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 pulverizing alloy oxide;   mixing the pulverized alloy oxide with a solution containing an ion of a catalyst metal component;   heating a mixture of the solution and the pulverized alloy oxide;   separating the metal oxide from the mixture of the solution and the pulverized alloy oxide;   heating the metal oxide; and   magnetizing the metal oxide after supporting the catalyst metal component on the metal oxide.   
     
     
         3 . The formation method according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide contains iron. 
     
     
         4 . The formation method according to any one of  claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide contains iron and cobalt. 
     
     
         5 . The formation method according to  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic material has a narrow long needle-like shape having an aspect ratio in a range of 10 to 100. 
     
     
         6 . The formation method according to  claim 1 , wherein catalyst particles are particles made up of at least one metal selected from a group consisting of iron, cobalt, nickel and platinum. 
     
     
         7 . The formation method according to  claim 6 , wherein the catalyst particles are particles made up of iron, cobalt and nickel. 
     
     
         8 . The formation method according to  claim 7 , wherein the solution containing the ion of the catalyst metal component is obtained by mixing a solution of iron, a solution of cobalt and a solution of nickel whose concentrations are substantially equal. 
     
     
         9 . The formation method according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide is magnetized in a gradient magnetic field of at least 0.01 [T] or greater. 
     
     
         10 . The formation method according to  claim 9 , wherein the metal oxide is magnetized in a gradient magnetic field of at least 0.05 [T] or greater. 
     
     
         11 . The formation method according to  claim 2 , wherein the metal oxide contains iron. 
     
     
         12 . The formation method according to  claim 2 , wherein the metal oxide contains iron and cobalt. 
     
     
         13 . The formation method according to  claim 2 , wherein the metal oxide has a narrow long needle-like shape having an aspect ratio in a range of 10 to 100. 
     
     
         14 . The formation method according to  claim 2 , wherein catalyst particles are particles made up of at least one metal selected from a group consisting of iron, cobalt, nickel and platinum. 
     
     
         15 . The formation method according to  claim 14 , wherein the catalyst particles are particles made up of iron, cobalt and nickel. 
     
     
         16 . The formation method according to  claim 15 , wherein the solution containing the ion of the catalyst metal component is obtained by mixing a solution of iron, a solution of cobalt and a solution of nickel whose concentrations are equal. 
     
     
         17 . The formation method according to  claim 2 , wherein the metal oxide is magnetized in a gradient magnetic field of at least 0.01 [T] or greater.